Ogun: Truck Accidents Account for 129 Deaths in 2017- FRSC
Mr Clement Oladele, the Sector Commander, Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Ogun State Chapter, on Thursday said 129 deaths were recorded through truck accidents in the state in 2017.
Oladele disclosed this at a safety programme organised by “Temidayo Ogan Child Safety and Support Foundation,’’ an NGO, for schools in Abeokuta.
The topic of the debate is, “Road Safety Education More Effective Than Road Safety Enforcement.”
He noted that the command observed that 129 (or 61.4 per cent) out of the 210 traffic deaths recorded in 2017 involved trucks and articulated vehicles.
Oladele also said that the command had step up enforcement against route violation, failure to cover unstable materials, use of sub-standard tyres, drunk driving and other traffic offences common with truck and articulated vehicles.
He said the command was collaborating with Ogun State Branch of Truck Owners Association of Nigeria and the National Association of Road Transport Workers (NARTW) to educate drivers on traffic regulations.
“We are trying to reduce the dangers these trucks and articulated vehicles pose to road users, especially children going or returning from school,’’ he said.
According to him, early in 2017, the FRSC decided to improve its youth safety education by increasing its visits to primary and secondary schools in the state.
“The aim was to educate pupils and students on how to use the road safely.
“Our efforts have yielded fruits but with some sad occurrences; some of us will recall the ugly incident of February 24 where a truck crushed a Primary School pupil,” he said.
Oladele noted that the collaboration was not to underscore either road safety enforcement or road safety education, but to raise awareness of teachers and students to be road safety conscious.
He commended the NGO for its efforts over the years in promoting the safety of the Nigerian child, adding that the debate was the maiden edition and would be expanded in subsequent years.
Earlier, Mrs Temidayo Ogan, the Foundation’s Executive Director, said the programme was a special Children’s Day project that would promote global road safety and the United Nation’s SDG’s agenda 2030.
She explained that the event would now be yearly to mark Children’s day anniversary in Nigeria and promote population health in the country.
“The project included road safety awareness among school children, mental health safety awareness, public speaking skills, research and display of skills.
She said recent statistics by the WHO shows that approximately 1.25million people including women and children are killed by road clashes each year.
